On Your Bike - Yunca Tour done - Carnival next

Wow, did we turn on some great conditions for some very close racing at the Yunca Junior Tour of Southland over the weekend. There were some tightly contested results and outstanding outcomes and it is so exciting to see a new wave of juniors coming through the ranks. Well done to all who competed and a huge thank you to all the willing volunteers and community sponsors who came on board to ensure it was another successful event. Check out all the news and full results

ILT Junior Track Carnival and South Island Secondary School Track Championships
Many of our Yunca Tour riders have remained in town again this year to compete at the junior track carnival, which is this year being combined with the South Island Secondary School Track Champs. The schools event will kick off this afternoon with the time trials at 3pm and will follow through into the evening with the carnival events from 6pm so there is plenty of racing for everyone involved.

Wednesday night we’ll kick off the action at 6pm with even more secondary schools events and carnival racing, including scratch races, team sprints, wheel and points racing.Check out the programme

Track Sessions Today and Tomorrow
Obviously with the Schools and Carnival events on over the next two days there will be no regular evening track sessions sorry – remember you can check the weekly track schedule online

Wednesday Worlds
A reminder that the popular Wednesday Worlds race series makes a welcome return starting tomorrow night 5 October on the Tisbury circuit. Meet at Tisbury School at 6pm for sign on and racing starts at 6.30pm. There is also social and junior options available. Rider entry $5.

Road Racing
The next race is Dacre-Hedgehope-Dacre Graded this Saturday 8 October with 70km for A, B and C grades and 32km for juniors and social riders. Meet at the Dacre Hall at the earlier race time of 10am for a 10.30am race start. Register online now

Equipment Return
Can anyone who has cycling equipment such as flashing lights, signage and radios please return it to the Velodrome as we urgently need all equipment for the upcoming road tour season thank you.

Track hire charges
The executive has reviewed the track charges for the coming season and agreed to a small increase in individual track hire. This took effect yesterday. Note that being a member entitles you to cheaper track hires than members of the public.

There will be no change to the hourly prices charged, although the two-hour concession cards will rise by $10 to bring them in line with the actual costs. Concession cards remain the cheapest way to ride. Concession cards now remain in the office and are ticked off following each session to help us with our investigation into a cloud-based concession card system.

The new one-hour track hire charges are as follows:

Member no lights $40
Member with lights $50
Non-member no lights $55
Non-member with lights $60
Derny/motorbike $15

As of Oct 3, these are the concession card that will be available and the prices:

Tour of Southland Bluff Hill Charity Ride
Cyclists wanting to emulate their heroes will have the chance to race on a section of the 60th Anniversary SBS Bank Tour of Southland this year. Members of the public are being challenged to take part in the BDO Bluff Hill charity ride, a 7km journey starting at the Stirling Point signpost in Bluff, through the seaside town and finishing on the summit of Bluff Hill. The bonus is all proceeds raised will be donated to Ronald McDonald House. View the details here and get your entry in now

Lone Star Supporters Bus
Finally, don’t forget about the Lone Star Tour Supporters Bus that will allow seat holders to follow the arduous Eastern Southland stage on Friday 4 November. This is a special invitation to Southland businesses to consider this unique opportunity to reward your clients or staff – or it’s just a special opportunity for you and a group of friends.

We’d love you to be a part of the 60th Anniversary SBS Bank Tour of Southland special celebrations, so enter a time trial team, or register for the Bluff Hill charity ride and book a seat on the supporters bus – we’ll ensure you have a great ride!

Kelvin Hastie Memorial
Cycling Otago's Premier one day race is back on again this Saturday with $1200 in prize money View the details here

BMX Open Day
The Southland BMX Club is holding an open day on Sunday 9 October from 1.30-3.30pm at Elizabeth Park in Lime Street check out the details

Finally, good luck to all those racing over the next two days and take a feather out of our world master’s champion Erin Criglington’s hat. She is doing it again at the UCI World Masters Track Championships taking the rainbow jersey for the fourth consecutive year in the individual pursuit in Manchester and, with four more events still to go – coupled with her proven track record, it is extremely likely it won’t be her last win this week.

Go fast Erin and Neil!

2017 Yunca Junior Tour of Southland

This six-stage event will commence on Friday 6 October with an individual time trial followed by a Kermesse, then the four road stages being raced over the following two days. Click for more information. Read more ...

SBS Bank Tour of Southland

New Zealand's most successful multi-stage road race, the 2017 SBS Bank Tour of Southland, is on from October 29 to November 4. Read more ...